(41)The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

It has only been a few short years since Steig Larsson took America by storm. These days you can't walk through an airport without seeing one of his novels in somebody's hands. Since Mr. Larsson has passed away, he has left his devoted fans hungry for more. Well, I have the solution for you and her name is Taylor Stevens.

In The Informationist, Taylor Stevens gives us a character that could give Lisbeth Salander a run for her money. Vanessa "Michael" Munroe is one tough cookie. She is all sharp edges that has earned a reputation as someone who can find out anything. Her reputation alone earns her $5 Million paychecks. And that is how she came to work for Richard Burbank. He wanted the best of the best to find his daughter who disappeared four years ago in the wilds of Africa. What Burbank doesn't know is that Michael was born to missionaries in Africa. It is her home. Going back to Africa is dangerous for her, not just because of Burbank's connection, but because of her own treacherous past. Will she be able to find out the truth about what really happened to Emily before her past catches up with her?

I am truly surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. It was very fast paced and the writing just sucked you in. Michael is a character that is hard core because she has to be hard core in order to survive the demons and complete her jobs. She really did remind me of Lisbeth Salander. The writing is not quite as hard to get into as the Swedish trilogy that we all know and love. There isn't the language issue to get over. The book is not quite as graphic as what we came to expect with Larsson, but that is okay. Stevens has taken this type of character and made it her own. I really do think that fans of Larrson will come to love Taylor Stevens just as much as the late Swedish author. There is one distinct difference between Taylor Stevens & Stieg Larrson. Taylor Stevens has her whole life ahead of her, the possibilities for Taylor Stevens and Munroe are endless. And I can't wait to see what there is in store for Taylor Stevens and Michael Munroe.